Your thoughts on the IWC brand today?

Greetings and happy weekend, all.

Opinions, as they say, are like a certain body part: we all have one. Yet I am looking for more than just opinions. Service experience, quality, cost etc...OK, sure, the odd opinion, too. 😁

IWC's storied reputation is beyond question. Yet I've read plenty of recent opinions insisting 'IWC have totally lost the thread'. Certainly, many of these considerations are based on newer design offerings. As well, with the sometimes dodgy early iterations of SW200 movements, say, this goes beyond just opinion. Indeed, the Sellita vs ETA firefight only complicates (sorry!) matters for me. (Not surprisingly, the 7750 is most often the preferred choice)

The bottom line question: what are your thoughts on IWC, and by this I mean modern offerings: their quality, recent movement choices, cost etc. and not their legacy, which we know is extraordinary.

Context: at present, two very different IWC chronos have caught my attention; even used or grey market, they're both at the upper end of my budget: I really love the Petit Prince Chrono running on a 79320, 7750-based movement; and - I already see the raised eyebrows - the Portofino 391027 chrono. It’s the dressiness I love. Mind you, working from home means I have no real need for a dress watch. And yet, it's darn pretty. It runs on the SW500 Sellita-based movement. (I'm leaning Petit Prince, I suspect)

Sorry for the novel. I love my few vintage Omegas etc., and my 2254 will forever be my baby. Yet I realize I'm moving towards modern chronos and I'd like a third to add to my newer Tutima Flieger Friday and my not-so-new 3570.50. Your insight is very much appreciated and valued.

Thanks so much in advance!

I still admire IWC and their current catalog. I do wish they offered more in the dress watch line as well, but I'm a fogy so what do I know.

Fogey? Hahahaha! I hear you - I'm 59 tomorrow.

IWC used to be known for timepieces pitched to guys who were interested in the engineered mechanical things in life, they were a thinking man's watch priced well. Not cheap, but not overpriced, either. But then Richemont came along and IWC was pushed up market, they were no longer as reasonable as they used to be, and some of the designs were too big and bulky. They are a good watch but I think there are better watches for the price out there.